Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-07
DAILY HERALD.
A CANINE SOLDIER.
Brvaery of a Dog that Fought ans
Died with the French.

Died with the French.
During the wars OF the Consulate
of the First Empire, in l79S, young
dog, who apparently had no master,
came, no one knew how, to Caen,
France, and met there company OF
grenadiers starting for Italy. Urged
on, apparently by destiny, he followed
them. He was to all appearance a reg
ular street cur dirty and ugly. but he
had such bright expression and
seemed so intelligent that they did
not hesitate to take him. His new
companions forced him to act as senti-
mel, to obey orders, to keep step, to be-
come accustomed to the sound of fire.
arms, to obey roll-call and all other du-
ties the soldiers were called upon to
perform. He received and
ate his rations with them and
lived in every respect as his
regiment was commanded to do.
In going to Italy Mustache crossed
Saint Bernard at the cost of unknown
hardships and encamped with the
regiment above Alexandria. 1t was
here that he was to accomplish his
first great feat of arms. A detach-
ment of Austrians hidden in the Val
ley of Balbo advanced in the night to
surprise the grenadiers, and was heard
by this vigilant dog as he was making
his rounds. The soldiers were awak-
ened by his barking. In moment
every one was on foot, and the enemy
disloiged. To reward Mustache the
colonel had his name inscribed on the
regimental roll, and ordered that he
should have every day the ration OF a
soldier. He ordered that there should
be put on his neck collar bearing the
name of the regiment, and the barber
was ordered to wash and comb him
every week.
Sometime afterward there was a
slight engagement in which Mustache
conducted himself very bravely. He
here received his first wound-a bayo-
net thrust in the shoulder. 1t must
be said here that Mustache never was
wounded except in front. About this
time he quarreled with the grenadiers
and deserted, because they had left
him tied in the garrison. Taking
refuge with company OF chasseurs
he saw a disguised Austrian spy enter
the French camp. Mustache, forget
ting the insult he had received, well
coined the stranger by springing at
his throat with much fierceness. This
action astonished all at first, but they
had time for reflection, and then re-
membered the sagacity of the faithful
dog. The stranger was arrested,
searched and found to be spy.
Mustache continued the series of
his exploits. At the battle of Auster-
litz, seeing the color-bearer sur
rounded by enemies, he flew to his
rescue, defended him as we'll as he
could, and, when the soldier fell,
pierced with bullets, enveloped in lis
colors, Mustache, seizing with his
teeth that part of the glorious flag
which he could get, fairly flew past
the enemy and brought back to his
company the blood-stained remnants.
1t must be said here that a charge of
musketry had taken off one of his
legs. This beautiful action merted
lar that he wore, and Mar
shal Lannes then ordered that
they put ON him red ribbon,
with copper medal bearing this in
'scription on one side: "He lost leg
at the battle of Austerlitz, and saved
the colors of his regiment" On the
other side it read: "Mustache should
be honored and beloved as a brave
French dog" As it was easy to recog-
nize him by his ribbon and medal,
they decided that, in whatever regi-
ment he should present himself, he
should receive the portion of soldier
He took part in several battles, and
among others that of Essling (IS09).
He made with the dragons two. cam
paigns and the brave dog fought every
time he had the opportunity.
He always walked in front, on the
alert, barking when he heard any
noise and could not find out the cause.
In the Sierra Morena mountains he
brought back to camp the horse of a
dragon who had been killed. 1t is
said that several times he showed this
same act of intelligence. He made
his last campaign with the artillery,
and was killed at the battle of Bada-
joz, March IL, 1881, at the age OF
II years. They buried him on the
spot where he fell, with his medal and
his ribbon. On the stone which
served as his monument they wrote,
"Here lies Mustache." These simple
words are more eloquent than the
most pompous epitaph.- Detroit Trib-